|
Citizen Posts
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
By BUATRE George
ARUA CITY — A security guard attached to an Arua bank has been arrested after allegedly shooting and injuring three people, including two women, during a confrontation over disorder in an ATM queue at Equity Bank in Arua City on Friday morning.
The incident occurred at around 9:30 a.m. on May 15, 2026, at Equity Bank Arua Branch along Arua City Avenue Road in Gurua Cell, Bazaar Ward, Central Division, according to police. Authorities identified the suspect as Banduga Vicent, 56, a security guard attached to Saracen Uganda Limited, who was reportedly on duty at the bank entrance when the confrontation escalated into gunfire.
The victims were identified as Angutoko Prince Johnson, 36, a resident of Academy Cell in Arua City, who sustained a gunshot wound to the thigh, alongside Asara Harriet, 22, and Hope John, 18, who were reportedly struck by a stray bullet during the chaos.
The shooting has reignited concerns over the use of firearms by private security personnel and the growing tension between civilians and armed guards in public spaces. While police say the suspect fired after allegedly being threatened and provoked, the incident raises questions about proportional use of force, crowd management, and the safety of bystanders in commercial areas.
According to a police statement issued by SSP Josephine Angucia, spokesperson for the West Nile region, the incident began when a man allegedly disrupted clients lined up at the bank’s ATM section.
Police say the security guard attempted to restore order after noticing a man “disorganizing” customers in the queue. When approached, the man allegedly turned hostile, verbally abused the guard, and reportedly threatened to disarm him, claiming he was “more trained” than the armed officer.
The situation allegedly escalated when the man continued causing disruption. Police say the guard approached him a second time, but the individual allegedly became aggressive and advanced toward him.
“The guard fired in the air as a warning shot, but the victim continued advancing toward him, prompting the guard to shoot him in the left thigh. The bullet strayed and injured two female victims nearby,” police said.
Officers from Arua City Central Business Division later visited and documented the crime scene, recorded witness statements, and rushed the injured persons to Arua Regional Referral Hospital for treatment. Police medical examination forms were also issued.
The suspect was immediately arrested, while his rifle was recovered as evidence as Investigations are ongoing under CRB 340/2026, police said. Human rights principles emphasize that the use of firearms by security personnel whether public or private must be necessary, proportionate, and a last resort, especially in crowded civilian spaces such as banks.
The injury of two bystanders may trigger scrutiny over whether adequate precaution was exercised to avoid civilian harm. Rights advocates often argue that warning, de-escalation, and non-lethal interventions should precede the discharge of a firearm unless there is an immediate threat to life.
At the same time, police defended the need for public cooperation with armed officers on lawful duty.
“Provocation of armed security officers on duty has been a common scenario in our communities. We appeal to the public to respect armed officers deployed to perform lawful duties and avoid provoking them in order to prevent deadly incidents,” SSP Angucia said.
The shooting comes at a time when Uganda continues to register high levels of assault-related cases, despite an overall decline in crime.
According to the Uganda Police Annual Crime Report 2025, the country recorded 196,405 criminal cases in 2025, down from 218,715 in 2024, representing a 10.2 percent decline in overall crime. However, assault-related offenses remained among the country’s most reported crimes, with over 26,000 assault cases registered nationwide.
In the West Nile sub-region, police have repeatedly warned about rising violent confrontations, including murders, assaults, and mob-related incidents, despite describing the region as relatively stable.
If you have a story in your community or an opinion article, let’s publish it. Send us an email via citizneposts24@gmail.com. Follow our WhatsApp Channel HERE to se more of our stories.
